New Construction Windows

{{Infobox
|title = New Construction Window 
|image        = [[File:Space holder.jpg|215px|alt=New Construction Window]]
|header5 = Other Names
|data6   = New Construction Replacement Windows 
|header7 = Description:
|data8   = Window replacement alternatives which include a completely new window frame along with the window sash.}}

New Construction windows are installed into a window opening together with a new window frame. New construction replacement windows are an appropriate [[Replacement Windows|replacement window]] choice when the original window frame is damaged or improperly insulated. 

== New Construction Windows ==
New construction windows are the suggested window replacement option when a home's original window frame does not provide adequate weather resistance or insulation in between the rough window opening and the outer window frame. During a new construction installation the opening is stripped down to the jack studs to allow the installer to make the necessary structural modifications which ensure an adequate weather seal. The new window is then installed together with a new outer frame. Installation of a replacement new construction window demands exterior work on the frame to seal, insulate and finish the exterior frame. New construction replacement windows can alter the home's exterior trim.

=== Benefits ===
New construction windows are an appropriate choice for a home's replacement windows when the homeowner is changing the window size or when a question exists about the insulating or weather resistant properties of the former window. Before a leaky window is replaced with a new [[Retrofit Windows|retrofit window]], the frame's weather stripping should be checked. If the moisture barrier is not weather proof, a new construction replacement window should be considered to correct the problem with the frame. The new construction window also provides the correct window frame size when the remodeling project includes windows which are sized differently than the previous windows.

=== New Construction vs. Retrofit Windows ===
New construction windows are a more expensive window alternative than retrofit windows. In a retrofit window installation, only the inner window sash is replaced. Installation of new construction replacement windows involves a more complicated process than installation of a retrofit replacement window and can alter the home's exterior finish. Homeowners must repaint the room's interior after a new construction installation. A new construction window will increase the home's resale value by approximately the same amount as a retrofit window IF the original frame is sound and weather resistant.

=== Installation ===
When installing a new construction window a nailing fin is inserted into the window's rough opening from the outside before the installer applies the siding and the inside trim. The window can be installed from the outside by removing the outside "stops" or from the inside by removing the inside trim. The new construction replacement windows must be sealed both inside and out with a high quality silicone caulk for insulation and wrapped with a custom metal "wrap", which adds an additional barrier against the elements.

=== Quality New Construction Window ===
New construction windows should display the seal of the National Fenestration Rating Council (NFRC) to indicate that the window offers top energy efficiency. The NFRC rates and labels the energy performance of replacement new construction windows, doors and skylights. In addition, new construction windows should be fastened and sealed with heat-welded joints as opposed to using caulking, brackets or screws. This increases the window's durability and thermal insulation capability. The metal locking components of the new construction window should be tested to ensure that they fit together properly. 

=== Framing Materials ===
Framing material alternatives for new construction replacement windows provide homeowners with a variety of choices that allow them to install windows that match their visions of their home design, their thermal insulation needs and their budget. These framing material options include fiberglass frames, aluminum frames, vinyl frames, wood and wood clad frames and composite frames. 

==== Fiberglass Frames ====
New construction replacement fiberglass frames are considered to be a more expensive framing material but many homeowners appreciate them for their durability, strength and light weight. Fiberglass frames do not shrink, rot, warp or corrode. They are good insulators which do not expand and contact with cold and heat in the same way as other framing materials. Fiberglass frames do not require additional maintenance after they are installed. Dark colored fiberglass frames may fade with time. 

==== Vinyl Frames ====
New construction vinyl replacement windows are manufactured using PVC (polyvinyl chloride). This creates an energy efficient high-quality product which competes favorably with other window framing materials. Vinyl frames are hollow with multiple chambers to trap air, slowing the transfer of heat and creating an energy efficient window frame. Vinyl is generally available in light colors because PVC is sensitive to temperature variations and the light colors more easily resist temperature change. The flexibility of the PVC allows a vinyl window manufacturer to fabricate new construction window frames to the specified dimension of the window opening to ensure that the windows will fit tightly in the rough opening. This reduces heat loss and any build-up of condensation.

==== Aluminum Frames ====
Aluminum new construction replacement windows are lightweight, durable and maintenance free though the older grades of aluminum are problematic insulators. Today many aluminum windows include thermal breaks, insulating plastic strips between the inside and the outside of the window's frame and sash and a foam insulation which creates a high energy-efficient frame. Aluminum frames offer good noise abatement capabilities.

==== Wood and Wood Clad Frames ====
The residential window market is now comprised of over 70% wood and vinyl frame window frames which account for both retrofit replacement windows and new construction replacement windows. Wood frame new construction windows install easily into the exterior wood frame and are an attractive window for the design of many homes including both traditional and modern home designs. Wood frames can rot or warp if they are not varnished or painted annually but some homeowners appreciate this as an opportunity to change the exterior color of the windows each year with a new coat of paint or varnish.  

An insulating option for wood windows is the addition of vinyl or aluminum cladding to the window frames. The cladding is treated to resist the weather elements including extreme and moist weather conditions. Thus, the wood frame window's exterior is protected against the elements while the window's interior features a traditional wood frame which many homeowners want to display in their home. Wood clad windows are maintenance free. 

==== Composite Windows ====
Composite window frames are manufactured using a composite of framing materials which, when blended, offer a durable, weather-resistant, high insulating window frame. New construction composite windows are constructed using blends of wood scraps or chips, vinyl waste, polyethylene and recycled plastic. Composite new construction replacement windows are strong windows which are resistant to moisture. They require no maintenance and are available in a variety of colors. Prices vary depending on the composite materials used in the frame's construction. 
 
=== New Construction Window Types ===
Customers will find new construction windows in a variety of styles including single hung and double hung windows, picture and fixed frame windows, sliding windows, casement windows, hopper and awning windows, bay and bow windows and other window options. Some of the most popular new construction replacement windows include operable windows which offer both an attractive design along with a functional window. 

==== Single Hung and Double Hung New Construction Windows ====
Single hung and double hung new construction windows are vertically elongated window frames which fit into large window openings. They include two sashes. A single hung window's lower sash moves vertically within the window frame while both sashes of a double hung move vertically within their frame.
==== Picture Window and Fixed Frame Window ====
Picture windows, also known as fixed frame windows, are non-operable windows which are installed as a complement to a window design or to increase the amount of light in a room. Picture and fixed frame windows may be installed on their own or as part of a group of other windows, including ventilating windows. Picture windows are generally installed in large window openings.  
==== New Construction Sliding Windows ====
Sliding windows, also called gliding windows are options for small or large window openings. They are horizontally elongated windows that contain two sashes within the window frame. Sliding and gliding new construction windows operate by allowing either one sash or both of the sashes to slide horizontally which opens and closes the window. 

==== Casement New Construction Windows ====
Casement new construction replacement windows are operable windows which include hinges that are located along the side of the window sash. Depending on the location of the hinge the casement window can swing either outward or inward. Casement windows are available as push-in/push-out windows or crank-in/crank-out windows. Casement windows are available in a variety of sizes.  

==== Bay and Bow New Construction Windows ====
New construction bay or bow replacement windows are groupings of three or more operable, non-operable or combined operable and non-operable window sections. The bay and bow windows project outward from a room in an arc and often include a shelf or seat on the window's interior where people may sit or place objects. Bow and bay window designs may involve only one type of window as all the component windows of the entire bay or bow window or a mixture of different types of window. Options include installing three or four double hung or casement windows as a bay or bow window, placing a fixed frame or picture window in the center and surrounding it with casement or double hung windows, placing operable windows in the middle of the bay or bow window and installing non-operable windows on the sides or selecting an additional bay or bow window alternative.  

==== Awning and Hopper New Construction Replacement Windows ====
Awning and hopper new construction replacement windows are often used to increase a room's ventilation. They are often installed in a small rough opening for either a square or rectangle window opening. The hinges of a hopper are located on the top of the window frame or, for an awning window, on the bottom of the window frame. The windows open either inward or outward, according to the placement of the hinges and the homeowner's preference to increase privacy while permitting increased air flow into the room. Hopper and awning windows may be installed on their own or over or under a picture, double hung or casement window as an option for increasing ventilation into a room and as an enhancement to the window's appearance.

=== Energy Efficiency ===  
New construction windows which meet acceptable U-Ratings will save the homeowner considerable amounts of money through reduced energy costs throughout the lifetime of the windows. The United States Department of Energy notes that a homeowner can expect to see a full return on the increased cost of a well-insulated window, as indicated by the presence of an Energy Star Rating, within the first four years of the window's use. Depending on the area of the country where the homeowner lives, replacement new construction windows with low U-Ratings can save a homeowner anywhere from $200 - $600 per year and overall, reduce energy costs by 7-15 percent.   

The U-Rating is an industry recognized ranking which measures the level of thermal insulation that the window provides. New construction replacement windows which offer the best energy efficiency are those that offer a U-Rating of 30 or less. The lower the U-Rating, the more thermal insulation the window provides. 

Properly insulated windows demand a more costly initial outlay but homeowners who remodel with energy efficient windows can receive government tax credits and rebates. Many of these incentives vary from state to state. 

=== New Construction Replacement Windows Glazing Alternatives ===
In addition to the new construction window's framing materials, the U-Rating of a replacement window takes the window's glazing into consideration when calculating the window's energy efficiency. 

==== Multi-Pane Windows ====
Aluminum, composite, fiberglass, vinyl and wood frame new construction window manufacturers offer multi-pane windows as a glazing insulating option. Multi-pane glazing, including double and triple pane glass, reduce energy costs by helping the interior glass stay warmer. 

==== Gas Insulation ====
Window manufacturers of aluminum, fiberglass, composite, vinyl and wood frame windows offer an additional insulating gas which they pump into the space between the panes of a multi-pane new construction window. Insulating gasses includes both krypton and argon gas which further insulate a replacement window and increase its U-Rating.  

==== Low-E Coating ====
The Low-E (low-emissivity) coating is applied to new construction windows while they are still in the factory. The Low-E functions as a sort of "sunscreen" on the window. It is an invisible layer of metallic oxide and must be special ordered from the manufacturer. Low-E can cut down on the sun's rays by between 30% and 50%. 

=== Accessories ===
Manufacturers of new construction windows offer a wide variety of accessories to window orders. These accessories include both standard additions to window orders and special custom orders. 

Standard accessories for windows include screens and hardware for operable windows. Screens clip onto the window frames for easy access. Hardware is generally available as hard plastic hardware and comprises the window's locks, handles and cranks. Homeowners may special order brass or bronze hardware.  

Window grilles are an additional order which the homeowner may request, either as an insert between multi-panes of a double or triple paned window or as clip on grilles which the homeowner can attach to the window with spring-clips.

{{Replacement Window Types}}

[[Category:Replacement Windows]]